Here is an interview I did with Al Roker about his new book, “The Storm of the Century.” It deals with the devastating 1900 hurricane in Galveston, which still stands as this nation’s worst national disaster.
Mr. Roker utilized the services of a professional researcher for this project.
As someone well-versed with Galveston history, there are some things in the book that grate on my nerves, such as mislabeling the Bishop’s Palace (one of the island’s most loved architectural treasures) as Ashton Villa (another historic home), and stating that Indianola (which was completely obliterated by a hurricane) was in Mississippi (it was in Texas). I would dearly have hoped that a professional researcher or publisher fact-checker would have caught things like this.
Aside from that, Roker and his team have gathered some heart-wrenching stories about those who did and didn’t survive the storm, and the book makes a quick and interesting read.
If you read “The Storm of the Century,” let me know what you think!
One thought on “Roker Book is Entertaining but Flawed”
True to his background as a weatherman, Roker delves into the meteorological origins of the hurricane as well as the bureaucratic stubbornness that ultimately robbed Galvestonians of the chance to prepare for it. But The Storm of the Century is worth reading for the way it weaves the personal travails of an impressive cast of characters into a human narrative that often reads more like a novel than historical nonfiction.
True to his background as a weatherman, Roker delves into the meteorological origins of the hurricane as well as the bureaucratic stubbornness that ultimately robbed Galvestonians of the chance to prepare for it. But The Storm of the Century is worth reading for the way it weaves the personal travails of an impressive cast of characters into a human narrative that often reads more like a novel than historical nonfiction.